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OT: Human Rights Framework 4-May-2010 At 8:09:27 PM Hendo

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I thought of another example to illustrate my point, much better this time I hope.

Some people in government believe the aboriginal intervention policy is affirmative action. When I was in Brisbane earlier this year I listened to a protest by mostly aboriginal people outside Queensland Parliament House quite angrily stating that various things including the aboriginal intervention policy was racist. Here we have people disagreeing and a blur between racism and affirmative action.

Now which of the following should be considered racist by these protestors? The government people who came up with the ideas. The politicians who believed it to be affirmative action and voted it in. The politicians who thought it was racist or were unsure but voted it in for political reasons. The people who thought the policy was good affirmative action and voted for the government. The people who disagreed or were unsure but still voted for the government for other reasons. The people who are implementing the policy and who believe it is racist or unsure but do it anyway because they are getting paid/it is the law etc. The people who are implementing the policy who believe it is affirmative action.

There is uncertainty here. If all these groups, especially the voters, are considered racist then very, very many Australians are racist including many who would consider themselves against racism, pro-multiculturalism etc.